The National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) has announced that Dan Kroeger; President, CEO and Chairman of Gold Medal Products Company; has been named the 2015 Mickey Warner Award recipient. Kroeger will be honored on Thursday, July 23 at the NAC Membership Luncheon during The Concession & Hospitality Expo at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati.

The Mickey Warner Award is bestowed upon an individual by NAC each year to recognize leadership and significant accomplishments in the non-theatre concession industry. The award honors the late Mickey Warner, the father of the NAC Concession Manager Certification Program and one of the greatest innovators and educators of the concessions industry.

Dan Kroeger has spent nearly his entire professional career at Gold Medal Products Company, a manufacturer and distributor of concession equipment and supplies. He joined the company in 1979 as an assistant zone sales manager. He held the positions of zone manager, national sales manager and vice president of sales before his promotion to president in 1991. In 2000 he was named president and chief executive officer.

Kroeger has been an active member of NAC for almost 20 years. He was named the prestigious Bert Nathan Memorial Award recipient in 2008. He is only the sixth member of NAC to receive both the Bert Nathan and Mickey Warner honors joining Shelley Feldman, Frank Liberto, Charlie Cretors, J.C. Evans, and Larry Etter, CCM.

He has served in various NAC leadership positons over the years such as the Al Lapidus Golf Committee, Sponsor of the NAC website, and Gold Sponsor of the NAC Expo, National Sponsor of the Regional Seminar Series, NAC News Advertiser and Platinum Sponsor of the Lapidus Golf event. Kroeger originated the very popular Mentorship Program at the NAC Expo and its predecessor NAC Annual Convention and Trade Show. He has also served the NAC Duffer’s Day at ShowEast Golf Tournament committee, securing sponsors and attendees.

Kroeger is extremely active in the industry and in local and regional business. He has served as chairman of the Employers Resource Association, treasurer of the Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA), a member of the Trade Show Space Allocation Committee of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), member of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. He is also a past chairman of the Evendale Chamber of Commerce and has been active at the Goering Center for Family and Private Business.

In addition to NAC Mickey Warner and Bert Nathan Awards, Kroeger has received many honors and distinguished service citations. He was named to the People to Know in Manufacturing by the Cincinnati Business Courier. He has also been recognized by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve for, “Contributing to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America’s National Guard and Reserve Force.” Kroeger has also been inducted into the Tri State Independent Theatre Association Hall of Fame and been bestowed the Outstanding Service Award by the Evendale Chamber of Commerce

He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business from the University of Cincinnati and continued his education through Executive Programs at both the University of Cincinnati and Syracuse University.

Dan and Janet Kroeger have been married for 40 years in October 2015 and reside in the Cincinnati area. The couple has three children: Andy (Cindy), Tony (Suzy) and Jenny (Victor) and five grandchildren: Luke, Ben, Addy, Anna and Mia (arriving in June).

Past recipients of the Warner award include: Shelly Feldman of Shelly Feldman Associates (2002); Walter Dunn of the Coca-Cola Company (2003); Frank Liberto of Ricos Products Company (2004); Jeremy M. Jacobs of the Delaware North Companies (2005); Chris Bigelow of Bigelow Companies (2006); Phil Noyes of Proof of the Pudding (2007); Ken Young of Ovations Food Service (2008); Charlie Cretors of C. Cretors and Company (2009); Gary Horvath of Ovations Food Service (2010); J. C. Evans of Gold Medal Products (2011); Larry Etter, CCM, of Malco Theatres (2012); Terry Conlon, ECM, of the University of Illinois (2013) and Gary Wattie of Centerplate (2014)

About NAC: The National Association of Concessionaires, founded in 1944, is the trade association for the recreation and leisure-time food and beverage concessions industry. Members are comprised of the owners and operators of facilities such as: Movie Theatres, Stadiums & Arenas, Zoos & Aquariums, Colleges & Universities, Foodservice Contractors, Park & Recreation Departments, Amusement Parks & Family Entertainment Centers, Ice and Roller Skating Rinks, Racetracks, Bowling Centers, Outdoor facilities, Convention centers and Performing Arts Centers. Our members also are the companies that provide products and services to these facilities, including: Suppliers, Equipment Manufacturers, Popcorn Processors, Jobber Distributors, Consultants and Brokers.

For more information:
Chris Dammann
Director of Communications
612-849-8418
cdammann@naconline.org